. . . Atlantic Coastal Migratory Pelagic Fisheries 



42 



SPECIES AND STATUS 



Atlantic dolphin and cobia sport fisheries 

 produce more than 90% of the total annual 

 yield of coastal pelagic species. Some 

 cobia are incidentally caught by commer- 

 cial mackerel fishermen. Cero mackerel 

 are unimportant and are usually taken in 

 other fisheries. 



Coastal pelagic fishes (mackerels, cobia, 

 and dolphin) are managed under the joint 

 CPFMP and regulations adopted by the 

 Mid-Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Gulf of 

 Mexico Fishery Management Councils. Al- 

 though Mexican catches are believed large, 

 only (J.S. fishermen are now regulated. 

 King and Spanish mackerel catches have 

 been limited under increasingly restrictive 

 Federal management since 1982, along 

 with a similar tightening by the states. Dol- 

 phin and cobia are managed through min- 

 imum fish size and creel limits; cero 

 mackerel fishing is minimal and unregu- 

 lated. 



This group as a whole now yields only 



about 53% of its long-term potential (Table 

 7-1), and many species are fished near or 

 over maximum production levels. Three of 

 the four mackerel stocks are overutilized 

 and have been under a rigid rebuilding 

 schedule since 1983. 



The Gulf king mackerel stock, likely the 

 one with the largest long-term potential, is 

 also severely depressed and is producing 

 the least. Recent average annual produc- 

 tion is at 25% of its maximum level; stock 

 reduction was due to excessive harvests 

 from the late 1970's through the early 

 1980's. Liberal fishing rules and sparse 

 data hampered conservation until 1986. 



The Atlantic king mackerel group is near 

 maximum production. Spanish mackerel 

 are below maximum production levels, but 

 are recovering. The status of cobia and 

 dolphin in the southeastern Atlantic is un- 

 clear. They are mostly caught by anglers, 

 but the data needed to assess long-term 

 production do not exist. 



Table 7-1— Recent average, 

 current potential, and long-term 

 potential yields in metric tons (t), 

 and status of utilization of 

 Atlantic coastal migratory pelagic 

 fishes. The LTPY, CPY, and RAY 

 for the unit equals the sum of the 

 species' LTPY's, CRY'S, and RAY's. 

 Where the species' LTPY is 

 unknown, the species' CPY is 

 substituted in the sum. If the 

 species' CPY is unknown, the 

 species' RAY is substituted. 



Long-term potential yield (LTPY) = 28,283 t 



Current potential yield (CPY) = 20,980 t 



Recent average yield (RAY) 1 = 14,881 t 



'1988-90 average 



ISSUES 



Management of coastal pelagic species will 

 require the coordination of Federal, state, 

 and international regulatory actions to ac- 

 commodate the migratory behavior of the 

 mackerels. 



The allocation of the yield between recre- 

 ational and commercial users remains an 

 issue. This has become particularly critical 

 because the mackerel population has de- 

 clined. 



